Fire extinguishing unit



F. J. LEE

Filed Juqe l; 1942 Sept; 12, 1944.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING UNIT Patented Sept. 12, 1944 FIRE EXTmGUISI-IING UNIT Floyd J. Lee. Whittier, Calif.. assignor of onehalf to James Calif.

Leonai'd Hull, Los Angeles,

Application June 1, 1942, Serial No. 445,261

(01. 169-32) The plate 6 provides a means by'which the'unit 8 Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguisherscf the class in which the contents of the extin-' guisher is intended to be expelled therefrom by gas pressure generated in the extinguisher by the uniting of gas-generating materials. p

A general object of the present invention is to provide a unit for a fire extinguisher, which unit contains means for holding gas-generating ingredients in a moisture-proof condition well protected against accidental discharge, and also means for rapidly breaking the seals for such ingredients and forcing said ingredients into the water of the extinguisher.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unit for a fire extinguisher in which there is included a means for holding gas-generating materials in a moisture-proof condition, which unit is capable of being automatically operated on the inversion of the unit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a unit for a fire extinguisher, which unit contains in combination with means for holding gas-generating ingredients in a moisture-proof condition a source of stored mechanical energy adapted to be automatically released for effecting a rupture of the seals for the ingredients and also effective for ejecting the ingredients to operative contact with the water of the extinguisher.

A' further object of the present invention is to provide a unit for a fire extinguisher of the forea going type which is so designed as to be capable of substitution for the less efiective units now contained in fire extinguishers heretofore manufactured and sold, so that the fire extinguishers now in use may be converted to the improved type merely by the substitution of the improved unit of the present invention.

The extinguisher of the present invention, to

gether with various additional advantages of the invention, will be fully understood from the following description of a preferred form or example of fire extinguishing unit embodying the inven-' tion, and for this purpose I have hereafter described a preferred example of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawing, i which Q Figure 1 is an elevation in vertical section. Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. s

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, I have indicated a fire extinguisher as including an outer casing 2.

which may be of any usual or preferred type, the particular one indicated being of general cyl ndrical form and provided with a suitable outlet 3 and cap 4. The unit 5 of the present invention is indicated as mounted on a plate 6, which is clamped between cap 4 and body 2 of the extinguisher, as indicated at "I, packing material being preferably employed, as indicated at 8.

end a weight I3 which is adapted to slide through ,the extinguisher body 2.

5 of the present invention may be assembled independently .of the extinguisher body, by means of which it may be held in position within The unit includes a housing member 9, which is indicated as preferably of cylindrical form and threaded at its upper end to a short cylindrical enlargement III of the plate 6. At its lower end the housing member 9 is closed by a plate II sealed to the member 9 by a moisture-proof seal, which is, however, mechanically weak so as to be readily broken by the operating means of the unit hereafter described. For example, the plate II may be joined to the housing member 9 of the unit by the sweat solder method. Within the housing member 9 the unit is provided with a small tube I2 extending throughout the length of the unit, to which tube I refer as the drop tube of the unit. This tube normally mounts in its lower the tube when the extinguisher is inverted, and the drop tube I2 is provided with a rolled recess I4 which normally retains the Weight I3 in the lower end of the drop tube until the extinguisher is substantially completely inverted and brought to an almost perpendicular position. In such perpendicular position the weight I3 is freeto drop through the tube. Near the upper end of the drop tube the drop tube is provided with diametrically aligned apertures I5 which allow the insertion transversely through the drop tube of a glass ampule I6, which ampule I 5 is intended to hold a quantity of sulphuric acid.

Surrounding the drop tube I2 is a pusher member'll and a flange I8. A coiled spring I9 surrounds the drop tube I2 and has one end compressed against the fiange I8 and its opposite end compressed against fins 20 formed on the drop tube I2 at the upper end of the drop tube. Links 2| extend from the flange I8 around the free ends of the glass ampule I6 and normally serve to hold the spring I9 in the compressed position. I also provide an opening 22 in the enlargement II! of the plate 6, which opening 22 is normally closed by a plug 23 attached, as indicated at 24, to one of the links 2!. The space within the unit not occupied by the operating means is employed for holding powders for generating gases for selfexpulsion. In order to maintain these powders separated from each other, and also to assist to house a second powder, such as a suitable acid (oxalic or citric acid). The space above the flange 25 is usually principally occupied by powdered sodium bicarbonate.

In the operation of the unit of the present invention, whenever the unit is brought to a substantially perpendicular position the weight I3 will fall through the drop tube [2 with sufficient force to shatter the glass ampule I6. Shattering of the glass ampule I6 releases the stored energy of the spring l9, which acts against pusher tube I! to burst the seal holding the end 'II on the housing'member 2. Spring [9 then extends to nearly the length of the housing member 2 to inject forcibly the contents of the unit into the water normally supplied in the space between the extinguisher body 2 and'the housing 9 of the unit.

'This action secures rapid and thorough commingling between the powder chemicals and the water of the extinguisher and has been found to result in rapid generation of gases. The exceptionally complete mixing of the powders and liquid in the extinguisher provided by the unit of the present inventionresults in a powerful expelling force being generated within. the extinguisherso that the extinguisher is capable of projecting its contents under great force and for considerable distance. In order to insure the weight [3 shattering the ampule i 6 when dropped against it, I preferably provide a pin 30 threaded into the plate 6 and bearing against the center fof the glass ampule in order to act as an anvil.

Openings 3| are provided in the plate 6 to allow circulation of water through the openin 22 into the unit 5, it being understood, of course, that ejecting said materials, a frangible acid-holding V V ampule, means connecting said ampule to said upon shattering the ampule IS the plug 23 is automatically yanked from the opening 22 by the spring I9.

As a safety factor in the handling of the unit,

I provide a lock wire 32 which extends through the .drop tube to within a short distance of the bottom of the unit, which crowds the weight la in the drop tube [2 sufliciently to prevent the weight l3 dropping through the tube when the extinguisher is inverted. Thelock'wire is attached to a set screw 33 in the plate 6. When it is desired to install the extinguisher ready for spring for normally restraining the action thereof, a vent for said casing, a closure for said vent, and means connecting said closure to said. spring to permit opening of said closure on release of said spring.

4. A fire extinguisher unit, comprising a casing having a plurality of powder-holding compartments and a piston-like member for ejecting materials from said compartments, spring-actuated means effective for ejecting materials from said compartments, a frangible member normallyv restraining the operation ofsaid spring, and a drop weight effective for breakin said frangible member under the inversion of said unit.

5. A unit for a fire extinguishing apparatus of the type in which the contents of the apparatus are expelled by gas pressure generated by chemicals within the apparatus, which unit comprises a moisture-proof casing enclosing said gas generating chemicals, precompressed spring en-.

closed within said casing and effective when released to break open the casing for discharge of the gas generating chemicals into, said apparatus, and means for release of suchspring.

operation, this set screw 33 and lock wire are, i

of course, first removed and the set screw replaced. After the removal of the lock wire, any inversion of the extinguisher will then allow for automatic operation.

While the particular form of unit for a fire extinguisher herein described is well adapted to carry out the objects of the present invention, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made, and the present invention includes all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I 1 v 1. A fire extinguisher unit, comprising a drop tube, a weight movable through said drop tube, a frangible acid-containing ampule carried by said drop tube and adapted to be broken by the dropping of said weight, a'moisture-proof casing enclosing said weightand drop tube and holding a supply of powdered gas-generating materials, spring-actuated means Within said casing for breaking the seal and ejecting the materials, and means connecting said spring to said ampule for normally restrainin the action thereof.

2 A fire extinguisher unit, comprising a mounting plate, a casing for holding a supply of powdered materials mounted by said plate and hav- 6. A unit for a fire extinguishing apparatus of thetype in which the contents of the'apparatus are expelled by gas pressure generated by chemicals within the apparatus, which unit comprises a moisture-proof casing enclosing said gas generating chemicals, a precompressed spring'enclosed within said casing and effective when re-' leased to break open the casing for discharge of the gas generating chemicals into said apparatus,

and means operative upon inversion. of said unit.

for releasing said spring.

7. A unit for a fire extinguishing apparatus or the type in which the contents of the apparatus are expelled by gas pressure generated by chemicals Within the apparatus, which unit comprises a moisture-proof casing for holding said gasgenerating chemicals, a precompressed spring housed within said casing. and effective when .released to open the casing for discharge of the gasgenerating chemicals into said apparatus, and weight-operated means for releasing said spring upon inversion of said unit- 8. A unit for a fire extinguishing apparatu of a frangible acid-holding ampule connected to said precompressed spring so as to release said spring upon fracture of said ampule, and weight-oper ated means for fracturing said ampule upon inversion of said unit.

\ FLOYD J..LEE. 

